Asharq Al-Awsat to Have Special Coverage on International Women’s Day

SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid
SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid
TT

Asharq Al-Awsat to Have Special Coverage on International Women’s Day

SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid
SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid

An all-women team of journalists and media practitioners is set on Monday to take over Asharq Al-Awsat’s editorial content and press coverage, including special interviews, op-eds and dedicated articles, to mark International Women’s Day.

In addition, “By women, for all” initiatives are set to be launched by the media platforms, under the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), namely Asharq Al-Awsat, Arab News, Sayidaty and Hia Magazines, and Asharq News.

The initiatives come in line with Saudi Vision 2030, and in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals, signaling the importance of women’s active and effective participation in public life.

They also reflect SRMG’s long-established commitment and support towards women empowerment and inclusion in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East and North Africa region.

“The Arab world in general and Saudi Arabia in particular are rich in stories that demonstrate the pivotal role women play in our everyday lives, business, society, education, healthcare and beyond,” SRMG’s CEO Jomana Alrashid said.

“This year, we celebrate International Women’s Day, across our media platforms, with remarkable women, each in her respective area of expertise… as well as with our female colleagues who are qualified to assume executive roles; and take on managerial and career positions within the group. Simultaneously, we pay tribute to distinguished Arab women who play an important role in the public and private history of our countries and communities,” she said.

“We are thrilled and privileged to witness the unwavering commitment and steadfast support of Saudi Arabia's youthful and visionary leadership to women’s causes. More than ever, Saudi women have now become an integral part of the growth, prosperity and advancement of our country. We at SRMG are fully prepared to play our part,” she added.

Some of the women’s issues tackled by the various SRMG platforms on International Women’s Day include the roles of governments and private institutions in advancing women’s issues, exceptional female journalists and their journeys to success, women in public, women in business, women entrepreneurs, and women-owned and women-run businesses.

The coverage also includes topics on women Medical Doctors and nurses, women in healthcare – especially those on the frontline fighting pandemics and infectious diseases, women’s contributions in “Cultural and Creative Industries,” and women in the world of beauty, luxury, fashion and design.



Gulf States Unveil Efforts to Develop AI Tools to Combat Fake News

Dr. Preslav Nakov (LinkedIn)
Dr. Preslav Nakov (LinkedIn)
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Gulf States Unveil Efforts to Develop AI Tools to Combat Fake News

Dr. Preslav Nakov (LinkedIn)
Dr. Preslav Nakov (LinkedIn)

One of the significant challenges facing researchers in artificial intelligence (AI) development is ensuring objectivity amid the rapid and ever-increasing flow of information online. With numerous tools now available to disseminate diverse data and information, it has become increasingly difficult for audiences to distinguish between truth and propaganda on one hand and between objective journalism and biased framing on the other.
This has underscored the growing importance of technologies designed to analyze, detect, and filter vast amounts of data. These tools aim to curb the spread of misinformation, combat rumors and fake news, and make the internet a safer space for sharing and accessing accurate information.
Fake news is defined as media content created and published with the intent to mislead or manipulate public opinion, often for political, economic, or social purposes. The methods for creating fake news range from simple manipulation of facts to sophisticated techniques like deepfakes, further complicating efforts to identify them.
In Abu Dhabi, Dr. Preslav Nakov, a professor and chair of Natural Language Processing at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, is leading innovative efforts to develop AI technologies, particularly in analyzing the methods used in media to influence public opinion.
Among his most notable contributions is the development of FRAPPE, an interactive tool for global news analysis. FRAPPE provides comprehensive insights into the persuasive and rhetorical techniques employed in news articles, enabling users to gain a deeper understanding of diverse media contexts. According to Nakov, FRAPPE helps users identify how news is framed and presented in different countries, offering a clearer perspective on divergent media narratives.
FRAPPE’s capabilities also extend to analyzing media framing methods. Nakov explains that the tool allows users to compare how different media outlets address specific issues. For instance, one outlet in a particular country might emphasize the economic implications of climate change, while another focuses on its political or social dimensions.
AI is the cornerstone of FRAPPE’s functionality, enabling the tool to analyze complex linguistic patterns that influence readers’ opinions.
In a discussion with Asharq Al-Awsat, Nakov highlighted the tool’s capabilities, noting that AI in FRAPPE is fundamental to analyzing, classifying, and detecting intricate linguistic patterns that shape readers’ perceptions and emotions. He explained that the application uses AI to identify propaganda and persuasion techniques such as insults, fear-based language, bullying, exaggeration, and repetition. The system has been trained to recognize 23 subtle techniques often embedded in real-world media content.
Ensuring objectivity and reducing bias are among the main challenges in developing AI tools like FRAPPE. Nakov explains that FRAPPE focuses on analyzing the language used in articles rather than evaluating their accuracy or political stance.
To date, FRAPPE has analyzed over two million articles on topics such as the Russia-Ukraine war and climate change. The tool currently supports content analysis in 100 languages, with plans to expand its capabilities to additional languages and enhance the accuracy of its analyses, further strengthening its ability to comprehend global media patterns.